A touch of grey
by kirayasha aka kira
Summary: Night time soap star and cross-dresser, Jak, discovers a grey hair and freaks. Can his life-partner, Ban, make him feel better before tonight's awards ceremony? AU set in the "Homecoming" universe.


A touch of grey….

By kira

"_Sorry that you feel that way…_

_  
"The only thing there is to say…_

"_Every silver lining's got a…_

"_Touch of grey…" from the song, "Touch of Grey," by Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia. _

_FYI: Shachou is how you'd address the president of a company._

_FYI: A geiko is a young geisha._

_FYI: An irotomesode is a formal kimono for married women. Unlike a kurotomesode, which is black, an irotomesode is usually brightly colored and is more festive._

_FYI: A nagajuban and a juban are the undergarments worn under a woman's and a man's kimono respectively. Hakama are the pleated pants worn over a kimono. A haori is a "jacket" worn over a kimono. Both men and women wear them. A woman's haori is also longer in the back to allow room for her obi knot, allowing the garment to drape nicely. _

_FYI: Koku is a measure of rice used in ancient times as measure of one's wealth. One koku was enough rice to feed one man for a year. _

_**Special thanks to Jen for all her help in polishing this. Please take some time to visit her profile. You can find her under the penname of "chesirejin." She has quite a lot of hidden gems there, just waiting to be discovered! Make her day & tell her, "kira sent ya!" ;p**_**  
**

888

Jakotsu sat at his dressing table, brushing his hair and, admiring his reflection in the mirror. He had recently turned forty eight and was pleased at how youthful he still looked. The only lines on his face were a subtle crease between his eyebrows and some slight crinkling at the outer corners of his eyes when he smiled. He was smiling sweetly at his reflection when he spotted it. Setting the hairbrush down, he brought his hands up to his head and fussed with his hair. There it was, a single strand of silver, lying nestled in a sea of dark brown.

The cross-dresser shrieked loudly, sending their two cats running for the safety of the living room.

Bankotsu, who has just gotten out of the bath, grabbed his towel and ran, spraying water droplets everywhere, when he dashed out of their master bathroom, shouting, "Sweetness?! Jak! What happened, are you alright?!"

The cross-dresser turned around, his eyes welling up with tears. He whimpered wordlessly at his life-partner.

"Sweetness…?" the younger man panted as he hurried over to him.

Jakotsu patted his hair wordlessly with his right hand.

Bankotsu blinked and looked over at the cross-dresser's hair. "Did you hit your head? It doesn't look like you're bleeding…" he trailed off helplessly.

"Look," Jakotsu wailed.

"I am looking," the younger man said. "I just don't see anything."

"Then put your glasses on, Ban honey," the cross-dresser said testily.

The younger man sighed and reached for Jakotsu's pair instead, since they were lying on his dressing table. He put them on and blinked a few times, before looking at the spot on the cross-dresser's head that he was pointing out. "All I see is a beautifully manicured fingernail and some soft dark hair." Bankotsu started to remove the glasses.

"Look again! It's there!"

"What is, Sweetness?"

"A… a… grey hair…" the cross-dresser trailed off softly as if saying it out loud would cause more to suddenly appear.

"That's it? A grey hair that you probably need a magnifying glass to see and this has you screaming like a girl in a room full of spiders?" the younger man said incredulously.

"Yeah…" Jakotsu pouted as he wiped away a tear.

"It's no big deal. In case you haven't noticed, Sweetness, I've got a head full of them," Bankotsu said dryly.

"Yeah…? But they look good on you, Ban honey, and besides, no one cares what you look like…" Jakotsu said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Oh really?"

Jakotsu sighed. "You know I didn't mean it like that."

"I should hope not as that hurt, Sweetness."

"I'm sorry, Ban honey."

"It's okay, I forgive you…" Bankotsu kissed the top of his life-partner's head.

"Thanks… I just can't help it. I felt so old that visions of denture cream and Bengay flashed before my eyes…" the cross-dresser rambled on.

"Ben wha?" Bankotsu repeated softly to himself, however, Jakotsu heard him.

"Ben-wa?! How can you think of sex at a time like this?"

"Sex? Who said anything about that? Although," Bankotsu said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively, "we can nookie, if you want?"

Jakotsu sighed. "I don't know… I mean I feel so old and unattractive and…" He sighed again. "I don't know…" He shrugged and he looked so miserable it tore at the younger man's heart.

"You know, it could be worse." Bankotsu grinned.

"How so?"

"You could be going through menopause," the younger man quipped.

Jakotsu laughed. "Don't remind me!" He reached out and pulled his life-partner close heedless of the damage the water droplets did to his silk kimono. "This is why I love you so much, Ban honey; you always know exactly what to say to make me feel better."

"I love you too, Sweetness." Bankotsu returned his life-partner's embrace, wrapping his arms around the seated cross-dresser's head. He was the perfect height to stroke to soft silky mass of dark brown hair.

"As much as I want to…" they chorused, laughing, and Bankotsu finished, "have a bit of fun, we have to get ready for that party and you know how long it takes to dry my hair." They let go of each other.

"Yeah… So why don't you start getting dressed and I'll go get another towel and the hair dryer," the cross-dresser offered. He stood up. "You know, if you want, you could always dye your hair."

"Nope, I earned every single one of these, Sweetness." _Most are from you, but you don't need to know that…_ "Besides, people seem to take me much more seriously now than they did when I first started out and I like to think the silver helped." Bankotsu started to towel himself off.

"Whatever you say, Shachou," the cross-dresser said impishly as he sauntered into the master bathroom. He returned with a big fluffy towel and the hair dryer. Dumping the dryer on the bed, he draped the towel over the younger man's head.

"Hey! I'm trying to get dressed here," Bankotsu complained.

"I know, but if you don't want a wet shirt and pants, you'd better let me help." Jakotsu gently rubbed the towel on his life-partner's head, before dragging it down the length of his hair. "Hmmm…. You need a trim," he murmured softly.

"No, I like my hair the length it is, thank you."

"I know, but you can cut six inches off and no one would notice, Ban honey. Now if you got a crew cut, that's another story…"

"And one I don't want to get into."

The cross-dresser shrugged. "Go sit at my table so I can dry your hair." He picked the hair dryer, dropping the wet towel on the floor next the other one. Plugging in the hair dryer while Bankotsu took a seat; he turned it on and set to work drying the top of the younger man's hair. When it was slightly damp, Jakotsu sectioned his life-partner's hair to make it easier to work with as he worked on the lower half.

Bankotsu watched Jakotsu work in the mirror's reflection. The younger man thought his life-partner looked better than ever, his features were softer and his figure was slender without being gaunt. In fact, he had aged better than the wives of their friends and when dressed in a formal kimono like he would be for the awards ceremony, he could still turn heads like some of the more famous geiko did.

"Whatchya lookin' at?" Jakotsu said as he turned off the hair dryer, pulling Bankotsu out of his reverie.

"Uh… you. I was just thinking that the older you get, the better you look."

"Yeah…?" the cross-dresser said, unsure if he should take his lover's backhanded compliment seriously or not.

"Yup. I don't know how to explain it, but you've hardly changed since I first met you and then again you have changed in subtle ways. It's like…" Bankotsu trailed off, struggling to find the right words. "It's like you've gone from being a hot teenaged girl into a very sexy woman."

Jakotsu smiled. "If you're not careful, flattery will land you in bed, my lil dumpling, and unfortunately, I've got a dresser coming in about fifteen minutes."

"What's wrong with a quickie?" Bankotsu smirked.

Jakotsu kissed the top of his head. "Nothing, but when you're this adorably sweet, I want to give you more than that."

"How about we skip the awards?"

"Ban honey, that's what I said when you got the invitation, but you didn't listen, so now it's too late and besides, I'm a presenter, so how would it look if I didn't show up? But I promise to make it up to you at a later date, okay?"

"Sounds like a plan to me…"

"Sounds more like a date to me," Jakotsu said saucily. He glanced at his bedside clock's reflection. "Damn it! I've got to hurry. Ogata's going to be in less than ten minutes. Hurry and get dressed and go wait for him so I can get ready and do my hair."

"You think that's a good idea, playing with your hair?"

"Hunh? Why not? I know how to put my hair up."

"Yeah, but you just freaked out big time over it," Bankotsu teased.

"True, true… but now that this adorable cutie with a gorgeous head of salt and pepper explained how every touch of grey has a silver lining, I think I can handle it," Jakotsu said as he shooed his life-partner out of their bedroom.

"You think?" Bankotsu said from just outside the bedroom.

"I know," Jakotsu said. He kissed the younger man and before Bankotsu could react, he gave him a gentle push and closed the bedroom door.

"Mew?"

Nekozawa, Jakotsu's cat, rubbed against his leg, while his cat, Banryu, stared expectantly at him.

"Your mother's fine now." Bankotsu squatted and petted cats. He stood, and made his way to the living room, while attempting to knot his tie without looking. After a quick check in the main bathroom's mirror, he adjusted it and exited just in time to answer the knock at the door.

"Ogata-san."

"Kusao-san," the old man said.

"Please, come in." Bankotsu held the door open for him and the old man entered. "Jak is waiting for you in our room."

The kimono-dresser nodded and stepped out of his sandals. While he slowly climbed the two steps out of the genkan, Bankotsu turned the sandals around for him and placed them where the old man could easily step into them. Minutes later, the younger man was busy puttering around the kitchen, arranging some sweet cakes on a plate, while he waited for the water to boil for tea.

In the bedroom, Ogata, who had spent more than half a lifetime dressing geisha, got to work dressing the cross-dresser. While Jakotsu did not need to be padded like a woman would to hide her curves, the old man still added some over the red nagajuban he wore. Tying them deftly in place over the datejime, Ogata stood back and had the cross-dresser slowly turn around so that he could be sure everything was in place. He grinned when Bankotsu entered, carrying a tray with three tea cups, a teapot and the three plates of sweet cakes. The younger man set them down on the dressing table and sat down to watch.

Soon the old man had the deep purple silk irotomesode on the cross-dresser. It was one of the cross-dresser's favorite kimono besides the bright red one because the bottom was decorated with hydrangea blossoms and butterflies. Bankotsu smiled when he saw the obi his life-partner had chosen to wear with it. It was a bright red damask silk brocade with sakura blossoms woven into it as well as embroidered on it with silver thread. Ten minutes later, Ogata had finished.

"You look beautiful, Hibiya-san," the old man said with a smile.

"Thank you, Ogata-san," Jakotsu replied. He looked over at his life-partner. "Okay, it's your turn, Ban honey!" He smiled impishly.

"But I'm already dressed…?"

"I was hoping you'd wear that new kimono I got you," the cross-dresser said.

"The lobster one? You're kidding, right?" Bankotsu grinned.

"Yes and no. Yes, I mean that one and no, I'm not kidding. "

"I look stupid in that one. Can't I wear that short white one with the blue collar and matching white hakama?"

The cross-dresser silently mouthed "white one" a few times before it hit him. "Ban honey, I know they let you keep your wardrobe from that film we made and I know I know how much you loved it too." He smiled. "And while you're the cutest samurai I've ever seen, unless you want to look like you're going to a costume party or a period piece premiere, I suggest you wear the lobsters."

"But I wasn't going to wear the armor."

_Thank Kami-sama for that… _Jakotsu sighed."But you look so cute in the lobster one."

"Kusao-san, if I may be so bold as to suggest the green kimono with the dragonflies? It'll compliment the 'lady's' kimono nicely," Ogata said softly.

The two men turned to face him.

Bankotsu smiled. "Yeah… I like that one too. Thanks for the suggestion."

"Green grass patterned juban, Ogata-san?" Jakotsu asked.

"Yes, and I believe the grey hakama will nicely compliment it, no?" Ogata winked at the cross-dresser.

"Most definitely! Ban honey, you're going to look gorgeous!" the cross-dresser gushed.

Forty five minutes and a cup of tea later, the old man had left and they were ready to go. Jakotsu fussed with the silk ties on his life-partner's dark green haori. "Damn you're hot," he purred. "You know, you should get dressed traditionally more often, Ban honey."

"Thanks, but no thanks; I'd rather wear my sweats or a pair of jeans. But you, my lil geiko, have the makings to be a two thousand koku courtesan of the highest rank."

"Awe… you keep that up and we'll not only be late, but we'll be calling Ogata-san back to help us get dressed again," the cross-dresser said saucily.

888

The awards dinner was the same as any other and Bankotsu was bored out of his mind. A few of his bands had won something;Youkai for best album of the year, Potato Stix for best new band, and Major Panic! won with "ongaku no kokyu suru" for song of the year. The only downside was Jakotsu had lost out on a three-peat for favorite actress. Since he was presenting for the "favorite band" category, it was not a total loss and the shot of him and the winning actress hugging was sure to be on the news and talked about for days.

"Wake up, boss man," Sesshomaru said. He pulled a bit of paper towel out of his pocket and flicked it at Bankotsu.

"Hey!" Bankotsu fluffed up his bangs with his fingers, trying to remove it.

"Look at me, Ban honey," Jakotsu said as he reached over to cup his life-partner's chin.

"Sessh!" Rin hissed. "I'm sorry, Ban, we can dress him up but we can't take him out," she said dryly.

"Don't worry about it, Rin-chan," the cross-dresser said as he removed the offending bit of paper towel. "I love playing with his hair… amongst other things," he purred saucily.

Everyone at their table laughed.

Bankotsu was about to say something, when a man approached the table. He nodded at Jakotsu.

"Oh well, I guess that's my cue," the cross-dresser said as he got up to leave. Crossing his fingers he said, "Here's to favorite band of the year!"

"Thanks, Jak," Inuyasha said.

"Yeah, thanks, Jakki, although, I don't think we're going to need it. The only competition we have is from those a-holes, kHz, and we all know how much they suck." Sesshomaru grinned.

"Oh yeah!" Jakotsu chuckled. "Anyway, I've gotta go." He squeezed his life-partner's shoulder and left.

888

"Here's two time people's choice award winning actress, Jakotsu-chan," the announcer said as the cross-dresser walked out on stage to thunderous applause. He picked up the award sitting on the podium and said, "Thank you, it's such an honor… oh wait, I didn't win this year." The audience laughed. "Seriously, I'm here tonight to present the award for favorite band as voted by the readers of Sakura Times." He smiled and pulled his reading glasses out of the top of his obi and put them on. "And now for the nominations…" He picked up the envelope and read the names off of it. "Aki Neko." They played a rap version of a popular old folksong. "Suigyungi." The opening bars of their indy rock hit, "Kumonosu," sounded. "Iyana hana." Their techno-pop hit, "tako na nigiru," played. "kHz or is that Kilohertz…?" Everyone laughed as speed punk came on over the loudspeakers. "And last but certainly not least, Youkai!" The cross-dresser clapped as they played a bit of their song, "Lucky Kisses." Jakostu waited for the music to die down. Opening the envelope, he said, "And the winner is… Aki Neko! Congratulations!" He clapped along with the audience as the two members of Aki Neko came up on stage. Once there, he handed them the award and stepped back to let them speak.

"We just want to thank everyone for this honor!"

"Yeah! Thanks!"

"We never expected to win, so we never wrote a speech."

The audience laughed.

"And thanks to Kusao-san for taking a chance and, signing us!"

The two rappers turned to Jakotsu and walked off stage, arm in arm with him.

Back at the table, the members of Youkai were consoling themselves. All agreed that if they had to lose to someone it was far better to lose to them than kHz since they would have taken the term "pompous ass" to a new level. Three years in the business had not mellowed them one bit and in fact it seemed to make them worse as their fans adored their rude behavior.

They were now serving dinner, and Bankotsu hoped Jakotsu would hurry up and finish whatever photo-op had him lingering backstage, before his food got cold. Luckily he did not have long to wait until the cross-dresser was back at his side, happily enjoying his meal.

888

Later that night, while Jakotsu sat at his dressing table and took down his hair, he spotted another grey hair lying lower down near his ear. He choked back a whimper.

"What's wrong, Sweetness?" Bankotsu, who had come up behind him, said. He wrapped his arms around the cross-dresser.

"I just found another one…" Jakotsu sighed.

"You can't even see them when you point them out, Sweetness."

"Yeah?"

Bankotsu nodded. "So don't worry about it. Like you told me before you can always dye your hair, or maybe you'll only get a few to frame your face, while the back'll stay dark like your mom's." He kissed the top of Jakotsu's head. "So what if you're getting older? We all do including little Aiko-chan. Plus aren't all the best, most celebrated geisha in their seventies and eighties?"

"Yeah and Hanajima just turned ninety…"

"And look at how beloved she is."

Jakotsu smiled. "Yeah."

"So quit worrying about it and let's go bed."

"You don't want to sleep, do you?" the cross-dresser said saucily.

"Nope. I just want to have some fun with the sexiest old broad in Tokyo," Bankotsu said as he walked out from behind Jakotsu and offered him his hand. "And I want to see if it's true what they say."

And that being?"

"The more grey hair a woman has the better lover she is… I figure in your case, while you're not exactly a woman, you do play one on TV…" Bankotsu waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Jakotsu laughed and took his hand as he stood up. "Yeah?" He giggled.

"Yup! Now shut up and kiss me."

"With pleasure," the cross-dresser purred as he leaned in for a kiss.


End file.
